Students Gain Career Advice From Alumni During Junior Career Evening

The Webb Alumni Council, in conjunction with the Advancement Office, hosted Junior Career Evening on Sunday, February 20. This was the first time this event was offered to Webb juniors, a shift from being a sophomore class event. This event welcomes alumni back to campus to speak about their professional and educational journeys. 

To kick off the evening, Kathy Fredrich ’02, Alumni Council president, welcomed the junior class in Liu/Cheung Theater, introduced the alumni speakers, and provided a few pointers for the students to make the most out of their time that evening.  Four different sessions were led by alumni in their respective industries and each student participated in two. 

The “Start-Up Culture” session included Jeff Cripe ’08 and James Chang ’04 who discussed their journeys into start-ups and how to navigate the highs and lows. Students were given advice about not worrying about their college major, starting a business sooner rather than later, and how there is no substitute for effort and energy. 

Grace Um ’08 and Ed Lin ’93 led the “Marketing” session, giving students a peek into both gaming and entertainment marketing. Students were encouraged to “find their why” when choosing their career and enjoying what they do. As often happens with marketing events, students enjoyed receiving promotional items from recent movies and television series for their participation.  

“Digital Entertainment” featured Shyla Watson ’11 and Cameron Lutz ’11 who were able to give students a look into managing celebrities, working on major media platforms, and what their educational needs may be to be successful in their fields.  

Dr. Robert Hanna ’04 and Dr. Lisette Farve ’04 discussed their careers in “Medical and Veterinarian Sciences”. They spoke about their path through college and medical school, and what previous experiences are helpful in pursuing a medical or veterinary career. They also spoke about picking the best medical field for a student’s personality and lifestyle choice.  

After the sessions, students gathered outside Price Dining Hall to enjoy cookies and cocoa and continue their conversations with the alumni speakers, while honing their networking skills. Faculty and staff also stopped by to thank the alumni for volunteering.  

Many thanks to Kathy Fredrich ’02 for representing the Alumni Council and to each of our alumni speakers. 

Marketing 

Ed Lin ’93, Principal at Joystick Ventures 

Grace Um ’08, Executive Director, Global Paid & Media Analytics at Lionsgate 

Digital Entertainment 

Cameron Lutz ’11, SVP Strategic Marketing & Content Innovation at Range Media Partners 

Shyla Watson ’11, Celebrity Strategy Manager & Books Editor at Buzzfeed 

Medical & Veterinary Sciences 

Lisette Farve ’04, Veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital 

Robert Hanna ’04, Oral Surgeon 

Start Up Culture 

James Chang ’04, Owner & CEO of Ace Alarm 

Jeff Cripe ’08, Founder & CEO of Cargo and CEO of Ara Labs